


Tell me a story

by Nary



Category: A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin
Genre: Flirting, Gen, Storytelling, Unrequited Love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-05-07
Updated: 2011-05-07
Packaged: 2017-10-19 03:12:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 500
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/196233
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nary/pseuds/Nary
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"Tell me a story."</p><p>"What?"</p><p>"A story. You must know some good ones, surely. Tell me a tale I haven't heard before."</p>
            </blockquote>





	Tell me a story

Lyanna knew it would have overjoyed her brother if she could have loved Robert Baratheon, for it was clear that Ned loved him. He was handsome, certainly, and had a bluff charm that many a girl would have fallen for – and, judging by his flirting with the Harrenhal serving maids, many already had. Still, she made an effort, truly she did. She danced with him not only to please Ned, but for the chance to talk with him. Perhaps that roar and bluster hid unsuspected depths.

He made the requisite compliments to her grace and loveliness, and she smiled, but it was nothing she hadn't heard before. He admired her gown and her hair, but the words themselves held no beauty, and they failed to move her heart. Then, at a loss for further conversational material, he fell into silence. Lyanna sighed and took pity on him.

"Tell me a story."

"What?"

"A story. You must know some good ones, surely. Tell me a tale I haven't heard before." She had always asked Old Nan the same thing.

"Oh. Let me think… Have you heard the story of Daemon Blackfyre's fall?" She had, of course, but he had already thought better of the subject matter before she could answer. "No, a battle tale is no good for a fair maid's ears." He didn't seem to notice her frown, and pressed on. "I can't remember any marcher ballads all the way through, and they're too long anyhow. Oh, I know!" he exclaimed, "I could tell you the tale of Durran the Storm King and his love for the sea maiden Elenei. Do you know that one?" Lyanna shook her head, so he continued. "Well, he loved her, and she gave up her home and family and became a mortal for the love of him. Oh, did I mention she was the daughter of gods?"

She waited for him to continue, but he didn't. "Is that the whole story?" she asked, incredulous.

"Well, that's the gist of it," he said cheerfully. "Our singer when I was a lad told it much better, of course. Though the only part I remember from his telling was that he always used to say that the Storm King must have given the maid a thunderous pounding indeed if she was willing to die just to get more of his c…" He trailed off, realizing what he'd said. "I apologize, my lady. I've had too much wine tonight, it seems."

Fortunately, the dance had ended. Lyanna did her very best not to laugh until she had made her escape. Robert meant well, she thought, but he held no interest for her. She thought that he would treat her like a precious jewel, until the day when she would become nothing more than a pebble in his shoe, to be endured at best, cast aside at worst. She wanted to be neither of those things.

Besides, she could never love a man who couldn't tell a good story.


End file.
